


a brief flicker of light

by bayloriffic



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fix-It
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-24
Updated: 2013-04-23
Packaged: 2017-12-09 08:31:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/772161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bayloriffic/pseuds/bayloriffic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lacey needs a place to stay, so she decides to see if Mr. Gold will make her a deal.</p>
<p>Set post-"Lacey" (2.19)</p>
            </blockquote>





	a brief flicker of light

Apparently, Lacey lives with her father in a tiny two bedroom apartment over his flower shop. 

She lasts one night there.

One night of her father waking up at five am, one night of her father banging around in the kitchen making breakfast at the ass crack of dawn, one night of her father busting into her room when it’s still dark out to remind her she’s scheduled to work at the shop at eight. 

And then, after she works her shift that day, she tells her father goodbye, runs upstairs, and packs her bags. 

She goes to Granny’s first because she remembers Ruby visiting her at the hospital, telling her they were friends. She knows Granny runs a hotel, so she figures that’s her best bet.

At least she does until she gets there, and Granny makes five comments in three minutes about the length of her skirt. 

So she knocks back her glass of wine, grabs her bags, and heads back outside, trying to think of any other place in Storybrooke that might take her. 

She's still got Mr. Gold's card in her pocket, a relic from her time in the hospital, and she takes it out, tracing her fingers over the raised numbers of his address. It's probably not a good idea, considering their already rocky history, but Lacey's never been one to over think things. Plus, they did have a pretty good time the other night at The Rabbit Hole the other night, once he got Keith out of the way.

So she just tosses her bags over her shoulder and heads out to the other side of town.

*

Mr. Gold’s house is pink, which gives Lacey more than a moment’s pause. 

But it is a big house – the biggest in the neighborhood by far – and this really is her last hope for tonight, so. It’s Mr. Gold’s big pink house or bust, she guesses.

He answers the door in his suit, and Lacey idly wonders if he ever wears anything else. He's taken off his jacket at least, and his tie is loosened, giving him a kind of rakish, rumpled look that she finds oddly appealing.

“Lacey,” he says, eyebrows raised in surprise. He gives her a quick once over, his eyes lingering for just a moment at the swell of cleavage at the top of her dress. By the time he gets to her face, the corner of his mouth is quirked up, his smile a gold glint in the darkness of the foyer. “What can I help you with tonight?”

“Hello, Mr. Gold,” she says, then lifts up her overnight bag and gestures into the house behind him. “Got room for one more in there?”

His face goes all sweet and hopeful like it did that night at the diner, and Lacey gets that creeped out feeling again, her stomach getting all fluttery and weird in the face of his sincerity. Then again, this is basically her last chance tonight, so. She guesses she’ll be able to put up with his bizarrely sweet affection for her for at least one night. But if he starts knocking over glasses of iced tea or going on about how he's secretly a really nice guy, she's out of there.

“Of course, come in,” he says, gesturing for her to follow him inside. She does, looking around approvingly at his house. It’s as nice on the inside as it is on the outside and, thankfully, much less pink. 

There’s a parlor right off the foyer, and Lacey walks right in, tossing her overnight bag on one of the empty wingback chairs and making herself at home on the couch. There’s a pile of paper and a tumbler of scotch on the coffee table, and she takes a swig of the whiskey as she shuffles the papers around. They're totally bizarre, the paper thick and rough, covered in weird symbols and a language she's never seen. She squints down at the topmost sheet, tilting her head as she reads.

“Is this a spell?” she asks, laughing a little. Man, he is really, really bizarre. "What are you? Some kind of wizard or something?"

“Don’t touch those,” Gold answers sharply. 

“Geez, sorry,” she laughs easily, leaning back and crossing her legs. She dangles her shoe from her toes and smirks when he looks down at her bare calf, his eyes trailing slowly up her legs. Yeah, she much prefers this to all those puppy dog looks he kept throwing her way. This, she knows how to deal with.

“It's alright,” he shrugs, but he slides the papers off the table and out of her reach. “Can I get you a drink?”

Lacey grins. “Yeah,” she says. “Thanks.”

She watches as Mr. Gold limps over to the kitchen. He’s kind of weirdly attractive, she decides, with his suits and his gold-tipped cane and his sleek, shaggy hair. She thinks about him again outside The Rabbit Hole, the savage gleam in his eye, the way he really went after Keith with everything he had, and she settles back more comfortably against the couch. 

“So,” she says once he comes back with another glass and pours her a shot of whiskey. “What do I owe you for the hospitality?”

“Owe me?” he says, like he couldn’t possibly imagine her paying him for the free room and board. 

“Yeah,” she says, knocking back the drink and pouring herself another shot. “I’ve got to give you something for letting me stay here.” She reaches out and wraps her hand around his, stroking her thumb along the pulse point of his wrist. "That's your thing, right?"

“Indeed it is,” Mr. Gold says, staring down at her hand in his. “I...I’ll let you know.”

“You’ll let me know,” Lacey repeats, incredulous. She drops his hand and takes another drink. “When?”

Gold blinks. “Why when I decide, of course, dearie,” he tells her and picks up his own glass, draining the rest of the drink in a single swallow. He's got a dangerous gleam in, one that makes her lean closer to him. “Now,” he adds. “Let me show you to your room.”

Belle follows him upstairs to the second floor, carrying her bags in one hand and her drink in the other. 

“Here you are,” he says. He opens the door to what is clearly a guest room -- double bed, nightstand, dresser, no rumpled suits thrown on the bed or personal touches of any kind. 

“What’s this?” she says. It’s just, she thought she was being pretty clear before. He lets her stay here, and she, you know, makes it worth his while.

“Let’s call it...” he says. “Your room.” He's watching her closely again, a weirdly expectant look on his face. 

“O-kayyy,” she says, ducking past him and into the room, looking around appraisingly. "Thanks."

"My pleasure," he says, giving her a strange little bow and then limping slowly away.

*

He leaves her to her room, and she doesn’t see him again until after she’s already showered and dressed for bed. 

“Hey,” she says, leaning against the door frame as he walks past her to his room. “Thanks again for putting me up.”

“‘S no matter,” he says, waving his hand dismissively. But he stops and turns to her, leaning on his cane just outside of his doorway. “What are your plans for tomorrow, dearie?”

“I’m not sure,” Lacey shrugs, the strap on her tank top slipping down off her arm. His eyes dart to her bare shoulder, and she smiles. “Thought I might go see the mayor. Thank her for helping me remember who I am.”

Mr. Gold slams his cane against the wall, moving so fast and so violently it makes her jump. 

“You aren’t to see her, dearie,” he orders, his voice gone cold and terrifying.

“Excuse me?” Lacey says.

“Regina,” he sneers. “You’re not to see her.”

“You can’t tell me who I’m allowed to see,” she says, lifting her chin defiantly.

Gold smirks, taking a step towards her. Lacey steps back. “I can if you expect to stay here tonight,” he tells her, voice low and dangerous.

“Are you kidding?” she says, sounding way more brave than she feels. "You think you can just tell me what to do?"

“Do you think I’m running a halfway house for scantily-clad runaways, dearie?” he says, taking a step towards her. Lacey’s heart skips in her chest, and she swallows nervously. “You won’t see Regina. Not today, not ever. Not as long as you’re planning on staying with me.”

“And if I say no?” she asks. “What are you going to do? Lock me away in your basement or something?”

Gold laughs, something dark and unsettling in the sound. “Oh no, you’re free to go at anytime," he tells her, sounding a little manic. "And you will -- go that is -- if you get anywhere near our dear Mayor.” 

Lacey narrows her eyes at him, about to protest, but he holds up a finger, cutting her off before she gets a chance to say anything. 

“But if you stay away from Regina, you’re welcome to stay as long as you like," he says, gesturing dramatically with his hand, making a strangely familiar flourish. "Do we have a deal?”

Lacey bites her lip, thinking it over. Gold’s holding his cane with both hands, his knuckles white and tense, and there’s a small hole in the wall next to the door from where he hit it. 

“Deal,” she says, and he grins, his teeth gleaming in the darkness of the hall, looking like nothing so much as a dragon who’s just managed to corner its prey. 

*

That night, Lacey dreams of impossible things. Of enchanted forests and gowns made of gold and a man with rough, shimmering skin. 

She wakes up alone, her heart racing and her stomach in knots. It takes her a second to realize she’s crying, her breath hitching in her throat and hot tears streaming down her face.

It’s dark in the room, the furniture looming, but strangely familiar. She gets up without even thinking about it, kicking the comforter off her and getting out of the bed, pressing the soles of her feet hard against the cool, smooth floor of Mr. Gold’s guest room. 

Mr. Gold’s asleep, his bedroom silent except for the slow, even sound of his breathing, and Lacey stands just inside the doorway, forcing herself to relax, wiping the tears off her cheeks. 

She feels sort of ridiculous, standing there listening to Mr. Gold breathe in the dark, tears streaming down her cheeks. Christ, it’s not even like she even had a nightmare or anything. It’s just...it feels weird, sleeping alone in a new place, is all. Besides, the whole reason she ended up here tonight was because she didn’t want to be alone. 

Mr. Gold sleeps on the far side of the bed, clinging to the edge of the mattress like he’s expecting someone else to join him. Lacey figures that might as well be an invitation, so she takes a deep breath and pulls back the covers on the far side of the bed. 

She’s halfway into bed when Gold wakes up with a start. 

“Belle?” he asks. His voice raspy with sleep, but the hopefulness is unmistakable.

Lacey’s stomach flips. “No,” she says, her voice barely a whisper. “No, it’s – it’s me. Lacey.”

“Lacey,” Gold says, and she can almost pretend she doesn’t hear the edge of disappointment.

She waits a for him to say something else, but he doesn't, just watches her in the dark, and she feels suddenly ridiculous, going to his bedroom like she's a child who needs some kind of protection from the beasts of the night. Not that Mr. Gold seems to be offering her any sort of protection. He stays on the other side of the bed, not attempting to move any closer to her, and for just a moment Lacey wishes it were true, wishes she were Belle. Anything to keep her from feeling so strangely alone. 

"I'm sorry," she says, shaking her head, not really sure why she's apologizing. "I'll go."

"No," he says, sounding more awake. "No, please stay."

Lacey smiles. "You're sure?"

"Yes, of course," he says, and if still sounds a little disappointed, well. He doesn't sound totally unhappy either.

Mr. Gold starts to turn away from her, but she reaches out, and wraps her hand around his wrist. "What--" he starts, but she kisses him before he has a chance to say anything else, her hand tightening around his wrist.

At first he doesn't respond, and Lacey feels a quick surge of annoyance, but then he's kissing her back, his mouth sweet and gentle against hers, touching her more tentatively than she wants. After just a moment, he pulls away, searching her face in the dark.

Lacey makes a quiet sound of frustration, yanking him back over to her, and pressing her mouth insistently against his.

He kisses her again, harder this time, nipping a little at her lower lip, and Lacey smiles as she opens her mouth under his, concentrating on the feel of his body against hers and trying as hard as she can to forget about the dream that drove her here in the first place.


End file.
